The invention involves a switching device for electrical switching apparatus, particularly contactors, with a substantially straight current conductor and an arc chute located at a distance from the contact portion, which, along with the current conductor, forms a U and whose arc-carrying free end extends at approximately the level of the contact portion.
In one switching device of the above-specified type, for instance that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,211,867, the arc chute is bolted across the frontal side of a relatively massive current lead. A layer of insulating material is installed between the arc chute and the current lead so that the conductor and arc chute operate like a U in creating a motive force on the arc. Since the space between the two legs of the U is relatively slight at this point, the motive effect on the arc is not particularly great. In addition, the contact portion of the device is practically on the same level with the entire arc chute so that a particularly precise alignment for the movable switching device is required in order to be sure that the contact portion of the movable switching device does not make contact with the arc chute.
This situation applies as well to another prior art switching device illustrated in German Patent Publication No. 28 03 249. Here, in addition, the current lead itself is designed in a U shape so that the switching device can only be used for units with lower current-carrying capacities since with high currents the U-shaped power lead causes a lifting of the switch bridge to occur.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved switching device which is to manufacture and install, and is suitable for use with switching devices which can be manufactured without maintaining tight tolerances for the switching device alignment.